DNA And DIICOT To Analyse Impact Of Draft Decree Amending Criminal Codes
The National Anticorruption Department (DNA) and the organized crime prosecution department DIICOT summoned their leadership teams to analyse the effects of a government decree amending the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code on some of the anti-graft cases handled by the two institutions.
DIICOT head said he would know the situation of the cases affected by the decree on Friday.
Also, the prosecutor general said DNA leadership team was summoned for a clear analysis on the cases affected by the decree.
More than 250,000 Romanians demonstrated on Wednesday against a government decree decriminalizing some graft offences, seen as the biggest retreat on reforms since the country joined the European Union in 2007. The decree that triggered the nationwide protests was approved by the cabinet on Tuesday evening. (mediafax.ro)
Latest Legislative Amendments Slow Down Romania’s Economic Growth, Analyst Says
The legislative amendments announced by the government Tuesday night hurt the Romanian economy, as they weaken the leu, boost lending costs and slow down the country’s economic growth, according to economic analyst Aurelian Dochia.
Dochia said local and foreign investors are affected by the instability at legislative and political level.
Dochia added that all legislative amendments trigger uncertainty and turmoil for investors. (mediafax.ro)
February 1 Brings Numerous Tax Changes: Minimum Wage And Fines Go Up
The first day of February brings several tax changes, such as the increase in the minimum wage, to RON1,450 per month, the taxation system for micro-enterprises, as well as the elimination of several taxes, such as the environment stamp tax and the radio-TV tax.
As of February 1, the minimum gross wage will increase by RON200 to RON1,450 per month.
The 100 taxes eliminated as of February 1, 2017 include the radio-TV tax and the environment stamp tax, the latter of which is paid when registering a vehicle. Also, the taxes paid to the Official Journal when publishing an announcement after losing some documents, the tax for having one’s name changed, the tax charged for releasing criminal and fiscal records and the tax for the release of passports. (mediafax.ro)
PM Grindeanu Writes To EC Heads: Anti-Corruption Fight, One Of Romania’s Priorities
Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu sent a letter to the President of the European Commission, Jean Claude Juncker, and First Vice-President, Frans Timmermans, saying one of the Romanian Government’s priorities is the fight against corruption.
Juncker and Timmermans said in a joint statement on Wednesday that the Romanian government should not undermine the fight against corruption, warning on potential backtracking.
“The fight against corruption needs to be advanced, not undone. We are following the latest developments in Romania with great concern. The irreversibility of the progress achieved in the fight against corruption is essential for the Commission to assess whether at some point monitoring under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM) could be phased out. Our CVM Report, published last week, acknowledged the track record achieved so far by prosecutors and judges in Romania in addressing high-level corruption. (mediafax.ro)
PM Grindeanu Says Peaceful Protest Turned Violent
Romania’s Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu wrote Thursday on his Facebook page that a “peaceful protest turned violent,” arguing that “manipulation has peaked these days.”
At least 300,000 people took to the streets of cities across the country, with about 150,000 gathering in freezing temperatures outside the government building in Bucharest Wednesday evening, being the biggest crowd since the 1989 revolution that ousted dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.
Demonstrators are furious after the Grindeanu Cabinet defied public outcry, judicial rebuke and President Klaus Iohannis by revamping criminal legislation at a meeting late Tuesday, keeping the move off its official agenda. The protesters back a four-year anti-graft drive that’s ensnared top officials including an ex-Social Democrat premier.
The decree that triggered the nationwide protests was approved by the cabinet on Tuesday evening. If enforced, as planned, within 10 days, the decree would, among other things, decriminalize abuse-of-power offences. Dozens of political figures from all parties stand to benefit from the decree. (mediafax.ro)